Terms used in this guideline
Behavioural overweight and obesity management interventions
Interventions that aim to reduce a person's energy intake and help them to be more physically active by encouraging behaviour change. They can focus on diet, physical activity, behaviour change or any combination of these elements. They may include interventions, courses or clubs that:
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accept people through self-referral or referral from a health or social care practitioner
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are provided by the public, private or voluntary sector
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are based in the community, workplaces, primary care or online.
Behavioural overweight and obesity management services
Services (sometimes called tier 2 services) that are locally based and help people in a particular location who are living with overweight or obesity. They can be made up of 1 or more behavioural overweight and obesity management interventions.
Coproduction
Professionals, community representatives and people using local services, their families and carers, working together in an equal and reciprocal relationship to develop and deliver action plans on obesity and overweight.
Healthy weight
In this guideline we use 'healthy weight' to mean a BMI between 18.5 kg/m2 and 24.9 kg/m2. A higher BMI, especially with central adiposity, increases the risk of developing health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. But having a higher weight does not in itself mean that someone is unhealthy, and there are many reasons why a person of any weight might be healthy or unhealthy.
Neurodevelopmental conditions
For this guideline, neurodevelopment conditions mean conditions in people over 25 that affect the development of brain or neurological system. These may mean that an adult needs special health and educational support. These can include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism, speech and language disorders, and sensory processing issues (including avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder). For people under 25 we use the term special educational needs and disabilities.
Overweight and obesity management pathway
The various routes that people living with overweight and obesity may follow through and between local prevention or treatment services. People can also be referred to specialist services.
Overweight and obesity management services
A wide range of services focusing on overweight and obesity management. Definitions vary locally but often include:
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universal services such as health promotion or primary care (sometimes referred to as tier 1 services)
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behavioural overweight and obesity management services (sometimes referred to as tier 2 services)
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specialist overweight and obesity management services (sometimes referred to as tier 3 and tier 4 services).
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
For this this guideline we use 'special education needs and disabilities' when talking about children, young people and adults aged 25 or under who have a learning difficulty or disability that means they need special health and educational support. For people over 25 we use the term neurodevelopmental conditions.
Specialist overweight and obesity management services
Specialist primary, community or secondary care-based services led by a multidisciplinary team, offering a combination of nutritional, psychological and surgical interventions, and medicines. These services can include but are not limited to tier 3 and tier 4 services.